


steady as a star

by tokiwas



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 15:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15294117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tokiwas/pseuds/tokiwas
Summary: A two-day sequence of a failed first love.





	steady as a star

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2017. Title taken from "My Star - Steady as a Star" by Remedios.

“You’re planning something.”

Kunimi says the words blankly to Kindaichi, the moment he takes a seat on the train next to him. Kindaichi flinches.

“Is it really that obvious?” he asks, chewing his lip.

“Not really. But I can tell. What’s up?”

Kindaichi looks around for a bit, before whispering into Kunimi’s ear.

“I’m gonna confess to Iwaizumi-san after morning practice.”

Kunimi’s sleepy eyes widen slightly.

Kindaichi has always harboured feelings for Iwaizumi. He had found Iwaizumi cool back in middle school, but the moment he entered high school the feelings of admiration became proper romantic feelings. Iwaizumi’s kindness, his leadership, and his determination had made Kindaichi fall for him as quickly as Oikawa’s fangirls had fallen for Oikawa.

And so he came up with his plan. He’s going to confess to Iwaizumi in the morning, to avoid the other seniors from noticing and asking questions. Iwaizumi had never shown interest in anyone in the past, but that just meant that there was no one for Kindaichi to compare himself to. That in itself had given him the courage to plan a confession.

Which leads him to today.

“Good luck with that,” Kunimi finally yawns, closing his eyes and falling asleep on the train immediately. Kindaichi smiles fondly at his sleeping figure.

Due to his plan, Kindaichi is nervous throughout the entire practice, but he’s usually jittery around his seniors anyway, so nobody comments. Once morning practice is over, everyone starts filing out of the gym, complaining about early classes. Kunimi punches Kindaichi’s back lightly as he leaves. Whether it was supposed to be a motivational gesture, or just a sign to let him know he was leaving, Kindaichi doesn’t know. What he does know, however, is that the gym is considerably empty, and classes were about to start.

This was the perfect time. Kindaichi gathers his courage, and raises his voice.

“Um! I-Iwaizumi-san!”

His senior turns to look at him. “Oh, Kindaichi. We can do the spiking practice later. Go and change, you’ll be late for class.”

“N-no, I-!!” Kindaichi almost bites his tongue trying to get the words out. “I-I actually wanted to t-talk to you!!”

“Oh, sure. What’s up?”

“I-it’s a private matter, s-so…”

Iwaizumi looks around. The only person left in the gym is Oikawa, who is probably waiting for his best friend. His eyes lock on to the both of them, as if he’s analysing the situation, before calling out a “I’ll wait for you outside, Iwa-chan” as he leaves.

“There’s no one here now,” Iwaizumi says. “What was it that you wanted to tell me?”

Kindaichi thinks he might die of tension. He’s pretty sure he’s bright red at this point, and he’s sweating buckets. He tries to fiddle at his collar to remove a button, but he remembers that not only does Aobajohsai not wear the standard school uniform, he also happens to be dressed in gym clothes.

“Kindaichi?” Iwaizumi is looking at him confusedly. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yes!” he squeaks loudly, then remembers Oikawa is waiting outside the gym and might overhear. He makes it a point to lower his voice the next time he opens his mouth. “T-the thing is- Iwaizumi-san, I- I really like you!”

Iwaizumi looks like he’s just been hit in the face. His mouth is open and his eyes are wide, and his cheeks have gone incredibly red. The silence gives Kindaichi courage to go on.

“E-even in middle school, I- I admired you a lot!” he stammers out, mindful to keep his voice low. “B-but when I came here, I realised how much you- how important- I realised the feelings I have for you!! S-so please!! If you could give me a chance… please go out with me, Iwaizumi-san!”

He bows out of habit, much to his embarrassment. The gym is dead silent, and Iwaizumi says nothing. When Kindaichi raises his head, he can see his senior fidgeting, avoiding his gaze and sporting an uncomfortable look on his face.

“Uh. Um. Thank you for telling me,” Iwaizumi finally says, pausing as if trying to find the right words. “But I’m kind of… seeing… someone already, so I can’t really…”

“Eh?!” Kindaichi almost falls backwards with how shocked he is.

Iwaizumi was seeing someone already.

How could he have been such an idiot?

He should have known.

“I-I mean! Of course Iwaizumi-san would have a special person already…”

Even if Iwaizumi always chastised Oikawa for his relationships, and outright refused to talk about romantic notions, of course someone as cool and attractive as he was, would have a special person already.

“N-no!” Iwaizumi looks equally as flustered as Kindaichi as he tries to explain. “I’ve only just started seeing that person… all of this is kind of new to me… Anyway, that’s not important right now! The thing is, I’m really sorry about… all of this… uh, I hope it doesn’t affect your performance in the team…” He scratches the back of his neck. “I’m really sorry, Kindaichi. You’re a good kid, you know? I’m sure you’ll find someone.”

 _I want it to be you,_ Kindaichi can’t help but think.

Instead he just shakes his head. “It’s not a problem!” he says, proud of himself for not stammering anymore. “Not at all! I’m sorry for wasting your time… I’ll go to class now! I’ll see you at evening practice!” He turns away, and takes a deep breath before continuing. “And if it’s okay, could you please not tell anyone on the team about this? I don’t want to make things awkward…”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Iwaizumi promises, looking almost sympathetic. Kindaichi runs straight to the lockers, passing by Oikawa without a word and is thankful that his captain doesn’t call him back to ask him what his conversation was about.

_Thank you for telling me. But I’m seeing someone already._

What a fool he was to think otherwise.

Kunimi is waiting for him with the same bored expression on his face when Kindaichi rushes into the changing room to dress into his school uniform. The fact that he’s not chattering excitedly about Iwaizumi probably gives it away to Kunimi that Kindaichi was rejected.

“It was a no go, huh?” Kunimi whispers, so that no one else can overhear.

“Shut up,” Kindaichi mutters. “I was stupid to think…”

“What’s done is done,” Kunimi says. He smacks Kindaichi on the shoulder lightly. “Let’s go to class, we’ll be late.”

On the way out, Kindaichi notices Oikawa and Iwaizumi talking behind the gym. At first it looks like the usual banter between the two, Oikawa teasing and Iwaizumi getting angry. Kindaichi trusts Iwaizumi to not tell even Oikawa about what happened, so he’s not too worried about the laughter. But at one point Oikawa says something which makes Iwaizumi’s lips lift up into a small smirk, and they move ever closer to each other. To an outsider, it may seem like nothing, but being around the two of them so often makes Kindaichi realise it.

_So that’s Iwaizumi-san’s special person._

For a brief moment, Kindaichi hates his captain. He’s never done that in his life, instead it was the opposite. He had always admired Oikawa more than anything. But in that short moment, he hates Oikawa with all his might. Until he realises he has no right to do that. Oikawa and Iwaizumi have been friends since they were children. Kindaichi can never be anything that compares to what Oikawa means to Iwaizumi. He has nothing to give Iwaizumi, nothing in him to make Iwaizumi turn his head and look at him.

He was nothing.

“Kindaichi,” Kunimi says softly. “Do you want to skip practice later?”

“H-huh? No way. Iwaizumi-san will feel bad.” Kindaichi is thankful his voice doesn’t waver or crack. “I don’t want to cause trouble to the team or anything like that…”

“Whatever you want.” Kunimi lets out a sigh. “Damn, I thought I could use you as an excuse to skip practice…”

Kindaichi pays him no mind, too busy regretting his confession. He shouldn’t have confessed so early in the morning. To avoid the seniors and confess first thing in the morning! What a stupid idea. Now he has to spend the whole of school remembering the fact that he got rejected. It’s difficult to concentrate on studies when all he can think of is Iwaizumi’s uncomfortable expression, the way he speaks awkwardly when he’s turning Kindaichi down.

During lunchtime Kindaichi notices the usual crowd of girls around Oikawa, chattering excitedly while he entertains them with his signature smirk. Iwaizumi stands just outside of the crowd with an unimpressed expression on his face. Kindaichi quickly looks away the moment he sees his senior, hoping Iwaizumi didn’t notice him.

He didn’t want to make things uncomfortable or awkward in the team.

After class is over, Kindaichi and Kunimi make their way to the gym. There are a bunch of girls waiting outside. Obviously they were all there to see Oikawa.

Mr. Perfect, Popular, Hardworking, Strong Oikawa.

Kindaichi makes a frustrated noise as he shoves his way through the crowd of girls, Kunimi following behind. Oikawa could have anyone he wanted. And the person he chose was the one person Kindaichi likes.

Then again, Kindaichi has no right to say anything. Who was he to be envious of Oikawa, who could possibly have been harbouring feelings for Iwaizumi for a long time? Oikawa deserves to get the person he likes. Even if it hurts someone else. Like the girls happily waiting for him outside the gym. Like the teammate who had quietly harboured feelings for him without saying anything. Like the girls who had stolen admiring looks at Iwaizumi during their volleyball games. Like Kindaichi.

The crowd of girls are still there when Kunimi and Kindaichi have finished changing. Iwaizumi chases the girls away, telling them that they’re disturbing practice, and they leave with heartbroken expressions on their faces.

 _Disturbing practice?_   Kindaichi can’t help but think. _Or was it because Iwaizumi-san was jealous?_

“Iwa-chan, you don’t have to be jealous,” Oikawa says happily, giving a wink to the disappointed crowd. “I know you’re upset that you don’t have the beauty and charm that I have, but I’m sure you have admirers secretly lurking in the shadows!”

“Who would want such an annoying fan club like yours?” Iwaizumi sneers, and they launch into their usual tirade of arguments while Hanamaki and Matsukawa laugh at them.

They don’t mean badly.

They weren’t aiming at Kindaichi at all.

But it still hurts to hear them.

“Hey, Kindaichi, are you okay?” Yahaba comes up to him. “You’ve been staring at the net for a while.”

“Ah, it’s nothing!” Kindaichi recovers quickly so that Iwaizumi won’t notice something is wrong. “I was just thinking about something that happened in class… I’ll put the net up right away!”

Luckily, practice goes smoothly. There are no mishaps or events that make things awkward between Kindaichi and Iwaizumi, even though they barely speak to each other. Kindaichi deliberately stands between Kunimi and Kyoutani to avoid conversation with the others. After practice Oikawa as usual stays behind to practice his serves, while Kunimi and Kyoutani are the first to head off. Kindaichi is one of the few who stay behind, but he doesn’t dare ask Iwaizumi for spiking practice. Thankfully Watari asks him to help with his tosses, so Kindaichi doesn’t have to deliberately avoid Iwaizumi and raise questions amongst the other members.

At some point, Oikawa stops with his extra practice. Everyone is surprised, since their captain is usually the last to leave the gym.

“I’ll see you guys bright and early tomorrow morning!” he says happily, Iwaizumi coming up behind him.

“This is quite early for you, Oikawa-san,” Kindaichi comments. “Do you have an appointment elsewhere?”

“I have to babysit Takeru today,” Oikawa says, making a face. “Usually I only do that on Mondays, but my cousins are busy tonight, so I have to step in.” The sour expression quickly becomes a pleasant one. “Don’t you think I’m the best uncle?”

“I’d hate having an uncle like you,” Iwaizumi snorts. “Hurry up and let’s go.”

Kindaichi watches them leave, side by side. He notices that their fingers brush against each other’s when they exit the gym. Maybe they’ll hold hands in the dressing room, or once they’re out of the school. Peek at each other while they’re changing, without any shame if they get caught staring. Kindaichi wonders what they’ll do when they walk home. They’ll probably continue their arguments as they walk home together, Oikawa making silly comments and Iwaizumi shutting them down.

But maybe Oikawa, with his experience in relationships and wooing, will say something nice to Iwaizumi out of nowhere. Something cheesy and romantic. Iwaizumi said that being in a relationship was new to him, so he’ll probably get embarrassed and not know what to say in return. But he will feel happy inside, because Oikawa is Iwaizumi’s special person. Maybe he will kiss Oikawa’s forehead, or make some other affectionate gesture in thanks. Maybe Iwaizumi will go back to Oikawa’s, where they will babysit Oikawa’s little nephew together. They’ll make dinner for the boy and play video games or do homework. When Oikawa’s nephew leaves the house, maybe Iwaizumi will stay over. They will probably sleep together in Oikawa’s room, Iwaizumi taking a futon reserved for him since years ago. Or maybe he will share Oikawa’s bed, and they will curl up side by side; like best friends, like lovers.

Oikawa is Iwaizumi’s special person, after all.

“Kindaichi, what’s the matter?” Yahaba has a worried expression on his face as he stares up at the taller first year. Kindaichi wants to assure him that nothing’s wrong, but when he opens his mouth, he says something else, in a trembling voice.

“Oikawa-san… is Iwaizumi-san’s special person.”

“O-oh. Yeah. I know that.” Yahaba looks confused, while other team members are coming up to the two of them to see what the matter was. “They started dating last week. Matsukawa-san told me.”

One week ago. Kindaichi was late by a week.

But even if he had confessed a week earlier, what difference would it make? Perhaps Iwaizumi had feelings for Oikawa for a long time and could not accept someone else’s feelings. What if Iwaizumi was the one who had confessed?

Kindaichi could never win.

“O-Oikawa-san is…”

“Oi, oi, Yahaba, move away,” Matsukawa says, pulling Kindaichi away from the others and moves him to the back of the gym while Hanamaki tells the others to pay no mind. He makes Kindaichi sit on the floor, and takes a seat next to him. From here they can see the others practicing as normal, although every now and again one of them will take a glance to where they’re seated.

Kindaichi hugs his knees to his chest and wrenches his eyes shut, desperate to will the tears in his eyes away. “I’m sorry I-”

“It’s about Iwaizumi and Oikawa, isn’t it?” Matsukawa asks softly. Kindaichi’s eyes snap open. It’s a bad decision on his part, because now tears are falling from them and he can’t do anything to stop it.

He tries to speak, but it comes out as a sob. Matsukawa puts a hand on his back, then pulls back immediately, probably due to his shirt being sweat-soaked.

“How am I supposed to compare to Oikawa-san?” Kindaichi whimpers. “Compared to him, I’m nothing. Nothing at all…”

Brushing fingers, holding hands. How many times had Oikawa and Iwaizumi done that as children? All the things that Kindaichi wished to do with Iwaizumi, Oikawa had been doing it with him for years now. How many hugs had they exchanged in their lifetime? Kindaichi already felt excited whenever Iwaizumi was next to him during a team group hug. Oikawa and Iwaizumi had probably been hugging each other ever since they first met.

He could never catch up to where Oikawa was.

He was nothing.

Matsukawa bumps his shoulder against his gently. The unexpected softness from his senior reminds Kindaichi of the last time he had been in a situation like this. It was back in middle school, where he was so frustrated by impossible tosses and infuriating orders to the point where he hid in the locker room straight after practice and cried.

Kunimi was the one who had sat next to him and pressed close to him, back then.

“It’s okay,” Matsukawa’s voice says quietly. “Let it out.” At that, Kindaichi lets out another sob, and Matsukawa this time doesn’t pull away when he presses his hand against his junior’s back.

It stings. It stings. It stings.

Kindaichi had thought he had a chance with Iwaizumi. His senior wasn’t much of a romantic, and he was awkward in matters of love just like Kindaichi was. But Kindaichi had thought, if Iwaizumi was touched by his confession, he would be willing to try something new, just like how Kindaichi was trying to do by confessing. But he hadn’t known.

Iwaizumi had never been attainable, not at all.

Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They were always together, weren’t they? Ever since they were children. Perhaps they had been in love for a long time, but they were afraid that it would ruin that precious friendship. Perhaps they didn’t know they were in love, but only recently had they realised that their friendship had went off the tangent of what was that special bond between childhood friends, and into a new dimension called romantic love.

Whatever it was, Iwaizumi had always been lightyears away from Kindaichi, from the moment they had met, up until now. And he’s only realised it now.

Even the tears that he is shedding right now, Iwaizumi has probably shed more over Oikawa. Oikawa has probably shed more tears over Iwaizumi. The ache in his chest, it was probably felt in magnitudes by his seniors, for years and years. Wouldn’t it be unbearable, to be in love with your childhood friend and unable to voice it?

Even in his heartbreak, he cannot compare.

But it stings, and stings, and stings, and to a blushing boy who knew nothing about love, who had longed and hoped for the unattainable to be his, this in itself is unbearable enough.

“Ah, email from Kunimi.” Hanamaki’s voice breaks the heavy tension in the gym with his statement. It’s enough for Kindaichi to look up from his knees, since Kunimi had never found reason to text the seniors before.

“Hanamaki-san, please tell Kindaichi to return me my English workbook on his way home. I’ve sent him an email but he hasn’t responded.” Hanamaki reads off his phone, and bursts into laughter. The bluntness of it, coupled with how typically Kunimi it is, makes Kindaichi’s lips lift up a little bit. Matsukawa smiles encouragingly at him.

“Did it feel good to let it out, then?” he asks.

Kindaichi goes red, wiping at his face hastily. From what he can see, Hanamaki and Matsukawa are the only ones left in the gym. But Yahaba and the others must have dispersed due to wanting to give Kindaichi space. He had told Iwaizumi not to tell anyone about his confession, yet his crying fit was probably enough evidence that he harboured feelings for one of his seniors, at the very least.

“I’m sorry I caused trouble,” he mutters under his breath.

“Nah, you didn’t,” Matsukawa says breezily. “Once a senior of ours got dumped by his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day, and he started crying in the middle of practice. You’re nowhere near as embarrassing, don’t you think?”

Kindaichi shrugs his shoulders, and looks down at his hands again.

“I just didn’t want all of this to affect the team,” he mumbles. “But I just ended up making a fool of myself.”

Hanamaki lets out a laugh at that. “I don’t want to rub salt into your wound, but let’s just say Oikawa and Iwaizumi have been making fools out of themselves and affecting the team many times before you.”

So he was right about Oikawa and Iwaizumi harbouring feelings for each other for a long time. Kindaichi tries to chuckle in response, but it comes out as a grimace.

“I thought so,” he says quietly.

“Hey, hey! This isn’t to make you upset or anything,” Hanamaki interjects. “I’m just telling you that the whole crying over someone thing? It’s not new. And it’s not stupid. Oikawa’s done it. Iwaizumi’s done it. I’ve done it, too. And unlike the two annoying lovebirds, I’m not with the person I was upset over. But I’ve turned out quite alright, haven’t I?”

“I know, right?” Matsukawa says, before Kindaichi can respond. “I can’t believe your heartless Hanamaki-senpai is actually capable of feelings! For other people! Apart from disdain!”

“I could accept that comment from anyone else that isn’t you,” Hanamaki sneers.

The banter between his seniors makes Kindaichi let out a small laugh. His seniors turn to grin at him. He may still be upset about being rejected by Iwaizumi, but at least his teammates understand him to a certain degree, and are trying to help him. It gives him strength to finally move, and so he clambers to his feet.

“I’m going home,” he says, finding the composure to give them a smile. “Thanks a lot, Hanamaki-san. Matsukawa-san.”

“Sure thing,” Matsukawa says. “We’ll lock up, so don’t worry about it. Take care of yourself!”

“Don’t forget to give Kunimi’s book back!” Hanamaki calls out, as Kindaichi leaves the gym.

The sting still remains. It doesn’t leave, not when he changes into his gym clothes. Not when he rides the train home. It flares up again like a vengeance when he’s all alone, on the street back to Kunimi’s house. The what-ifs all shot to pieces, the fantasies of walking home together with Iwaizumi crumbling to nothing. But it’s cathartic in a way. Probably because he knows his seniors won’t judge him for it. That his seniors had seen him in that manner and had accepted it. That his feelings won’t disrupt the team like he feared it would.

Kunimi is waiting outside his house when Kindaichi reaches, dressed in his sleep clothes and wrapped in a blanket. He doesn’t say anything when Kindaichi crumbles in his arms, lets him cry on his shoulder for as long as he needs to. He lets Kindaichi stay over uninvited and gives him leftover hayashi rice for dinner. In payment Kindaichi lets Kunimi copy his notes for social studies class which Kunimi had slept through. Kindaichi says nothing about what happened in the gym, and Kunimi doesn’t ask questions.

They’ve always worked that way. No need for words or explanations.

Kindaichi had done the same, back when he and Kunimi had found Oikawa on a date with his girlfriend while they were in town. Even though Kunimi had never voiced it, Kindaichi had noticed how Kunimi ran a little faster, jumped a little higher, and worked a little harder whenever Oikawa praised him. He had noticed the little glances Kunimi had given Oikawa, the small smile on his face whenever Oikawa patted him on the back and called him “Kunimi-chan.”

Kunimi had the usual bored expression on his face as they watched their captain dote on his partner, but Kindaichi knew better than to think Kunimi wasn’t affected. Even if Kunimi had never thought he had a chance with Oikawa, it must have still hurt to be faced with the truth. And so Kindaichi had spent the remainder of his pocket money to treat Kunimi to the café in town which was popular amongst the girls. Even though it burned a hole in his wallet, and he had to give up on cafeteria bread for the next two weeks, it was worth it to see Kunimi’s content expression while he was sipping from his caramel café au-lait.

After that, Kindaichi had asked Kunimi to stay over, and Kunimi had cried into Kindaichi’s back in the middle of the night, when he probably had thought Kindaichi was asleep.

That was back before the Inter-High, and Kunimi doesn’t stare at Oikawa so much anymore. But Kindaichi knows that Oikawa dating Iwaizumi would hurt Kunimi too. Maybe not as much as how it hurt Kindaichi, but it would still hurt him. Getting over a crush that you see every day must be quite difficult, even for a person as lazy and indifferent as Kunimi. Kindaichi knows better than to tell Kunimi the reason why Iwaizumi rejected him. He doesn’t want Kunimi to be hurt, too.

However the plan backfires at night when they’re in bed and ready for sleep, Kindaichi and Kunimi side by side on separate futons. Kunimi turns to Kindaichi, and even in the dark, he can make out Kunimi’s indifferent expression.

“Iwaizumi-san is dating Oikawa-san, isn’t he?”

Kindaichi flinches, and nods. Kunimi lets out a sigh.

“I expected as such.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Kindaichi says quietly.

“That’s fine. You’re just doing all you can, after being faced with the truth, aren’t you?” Kunimi scoots a little closer to him. “You don’t have to push yourself, you know.”

“You too, Kunimi,” Kindaichi mutters. “You don’t have to hide that you’re upset.”

“I don’t like Oikawa-san in that way anymore,” Kunimi responds, then lets out a small laugh. “But I can’t say it doesn’t hurt to know he’s dating Iwaizumi-san. The moment they announce it to the team, they’re going to flaunt their relationship in our face and we can’t avoid it.”

Kindaichi laughs as well. “You mean Oikawa-san will.”

Kunimi snorts, and then they’re giggling like children, legs tangled together like vines and fingers touching through the blankets, two bodies curled up in the middle of two futons. The ache in Kindaichi’s chest is still there, the sting still present, but it’s not unbearable anymore. Not when his seniors had cheered him up with their comforting words. Not when he’s curled up next to Kunimi like this.

Back in middle school, when he had ran away from practice and cried, Kunimi’s warmth against him had given him the strength to stand again. It had given him the courage to stand up and speak his mind. Right now, Kunimi’s warmth gives him strength to go for practice tomorrow, even if he has to see Oikawa and Iwaizumi brush their fingers against each other or smile at each other in their special way.

He hopes that his presence gives Kunimi strength too.

The next day, no one confronts Kindaichi about what happened the night before, and he’s grateful about it, even though he can’t help but feel embarrassed whenever he makes eye contact with some of the team members who had witnessed his breakdown. He gathers the courage to ask Iwaizumi to give him spiking practice after training, and even though it hurts to see his senior smile at him in what looks like relief, it’s nothing he can’t bear. Even if the sting in his chest flares every time Iwaizumi praises him for a good spike, or helps him adjust his body to improve his positioning, he doesn’t lose composure.

It’s nothing he can’t bear.

“It was okay,” he tells Kunimi, who had stayed behind for once. “It hurt a lot, but it was okay.”

Kunimi lifts his shoulders up in an attempted shrug, and bumps against Kindaichi’s side.

“Do you want to go to the shopping district tomorrow?” he asks. “We can get lunch at the same place as last time, the one with the miso butter corn ramen that you said was really nice. Apparently there’s a new shop selling salted caramel soft cream nearby that I want to try…”

As Kindaichi voices his enthusiastic approval, he notices Iwaizumi and Oikawa leaving the club room. They’re holding hands, fingers intertwined with each other’s like they’ve belonged there all along. It stings, and stings, and stings, but Kindaichi just turns back to face Kunimi, catching his attention so that his friend doesn’t have to witness what he’s just seen.

It hurts a lot. To the point that he’s even thinking of asking Kunimi to stay over at his tonight, so that he doesn’t have to deal with being alone with his own thoughts. But even so, it’s okay.

It’s nothing that he can’t bear.


End file.
